Consequences
by KatBauer
Summary: Skye did an oopsie and now they have to face the consequences. [Part 3 of the Married in Vegas AU]


"Hey," Skye knocks on the door frame of Ward's bunk and pokes her head inside. "Coulson wants to see us."

Ward lifts his head from his book when he hears her voice, and nods in acknowledgement, though there's now a very visible hint of something akin to concern in his eyes.

"Should I be worried?"

Skye steps inside the bunk and slides the door shut behind her. She plucks the book from Ward's hands and carelessly tosses it aside before climbing into his lap, smiling when his arms automatically wrap around her waist. She shrugs in response to his question, and grins at him.

"Probably."

Ward is frowning now, and Skye's grin grows wider at that, apparently finding this whole situation extremely amusing, for some reason that escapes Ward's comprehension.

But when she takes his face in her hands and, tilting her head up, softly kisses the worry lines on his forehead, the touch of her lips is enough to instantly soothe him, and Ward can't help himself, pulling her closer and hugging her tightly.

(She is _so tiny_.)

"We knew it was just a matter of time before someone found out," Skye says, snuggling into his chest and pressing her face against his neck. She's never been much of a cuddler, but there's something about this man that makes keeping her hands to herself incredibly difficult.

"Not going to lie, I was kind of hoping it would be later rather than sooner," Ward says with a resigned sigh as he rubs her back. "At least we won't have to hide anymore."

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" Skye smirks and Ward rolls his eyes, but before he can actually say something, Skye's lips are on his and he's lost.

When she finally pulls away, Ward lets out a soft, protesting groan.

"Come on," she says, getting up. "You don't wanna be late to your own death sentence, do you?"

"That's not funny," he mutters, standing up and following her. He reaches for her hand, lacing their fingers together, and suddenly realizes that she's now wearing her wedding ring.

He swipes his thumb over it and gives her a questioning look, but Skye simply shrugs. "There's no point in hiding it now."

**xxx**

"What were you thinking!"

"Sir, I-"

Coulson holds his finger up and the effect is immediate. Ward purses his lips and stays silent.

"Getting drunk when in the middle of a mission! And don't even get me started on the ridiculously poor choice you both made while under the influence!" he pointedly glares at Ward, and then turns to face Skye. "_What were you thinking!_" he repeats.

"Well, there wasn't much thinking involved…," Skye says, slowly.

"Clearly!" Coulson scoffs.

"But it didn't turn out so bad, right?" Skye adds with a tentative smile in the hopes of appeasing Coulson somehow.

(It doesn't work.)

"_Skye_," Ward warns her, gritting his teeth.

"What? All I'm saying is, we're both adults and we made a mistake, yes, but it wasn't _really_ a mistake," Skye glances at Ward, and there's a small, adoring smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "We worked it out."

"Oh, you worked it out. Is that supposed to miraculously make things better?" Coulson crosses his arms over his chest and gives Skye a rather skeptical look before directing his attention to Ward. "Agent Ward, you are familiar with how protocol works in this sort of situations, aren't you?"

Ward suddenly stiffens. "Yes, sir."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Skye asks, turning from Coulson to Ward and then back to Coulson.

"There are certain… regulations," Ward says hesitatingly while avoiding Skye's gaze. "Agents placed in the same team are not allowed to _get involved_ with eachother. To prevent unnecessary risks."

Skye blinks, not entirely sure she's following.

"Wait… So you're saying we can't date? Is that it?"

"Except that you skipped that part all together," Coulson says, and if looks could kill, Skye is sure Ward would be dropping dead right then and there.

"So, what now?" Skye asks. "What are you gonna do, kick us out?"

"No," Ward answers, before Coulson gets the chance to do so. "According to protocol, one of the two agents involved has to be removed, and relocated to a new position."

"Wha-" Skye's eyes go wide at that, and she instinctively moves closer to Ward, stepping between him and Coulson. "No," she says, firmly. "You can't do that."

Ward pinches the bridge of his nose in mild exasperation, Skye's reaction being exactly what he had feared, so he places a hand on the small of her back to try and soothe her. "Skye…," he says softly.

But Skye ignores him, giving Coulson a pleading look. "You- You can't do that," she insists. "We've both proven that we can handle it."

"Can you? Really?" Coulson asks. "He took a bullet for you, Skye. A bullet that, had he not been so preoccupied with keeping you safe, he could've easily avoided."

"Sir," Ward carefully interjects, before things start to get out of control. "That is entirely on me. I take full responsibility for my actions. Yes, it was reckless, and impulsive, and none of this should've happened in the first place," Ward glances at Skye for a moment and his gaze softens when their eyes meet. "Or at least, not like this. But I assure you that we are both perfectly capable of handling it. We have, so far."

Coulson stares at him in silence for a long moment, and the unreadable expression on his face makes Skye anxiously chew on her bottom lip. She shoots Ward a worried look, and then turns to Coulson once more.

"AC-"

Coulson, once again, holds his finger up, silencing her.

"Alright, this is how we will proceed from here," Coulson makes a pause and thoughtfully observes the way Skye seems to have unconsciously tucked herself into Ward's side, and the rather protective stance Ward has taken. His eyes land on the ring she's currently wearing on her left hand, and then he sighs, defeated.

"I realize that separating you both will more than likely make this whole situation worse, rather than improving it, and no one will benefit from that. Especially not the team. So as long as you can prove to me that your new current relationship status will not compromise your judgment, then I will not be forced to report you."

"Sir…"

"I'm not done yet, agent Ward," Coulson says, sternly. "There's one more thing. If I see her crying one more time because of something you did or said, I will not ask any questions. I will ship you straight to the Fridge and make sure you spend the rest of your days locked up in a cell of the size of your shoe. Is that clear?"

Ward clenches his jaw and swallows, but he nods. "Yes, sir."

Skye, on the other hand, rolls her eyes and raises her eyebrows at Coulson, a rather defiant look on her face.

Coulson doesn't miss it, and before she opens her mouth, he says "Don't test me, Skye." And that's the end of it.

**xxx**

"It wasn't so bad," Skye says, oddly cheerful, later that night.

She's curled into Ward's side in her bed, ear pressed against his heart while her fingertips absentmindedly tap on his chest, following the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"I guess not," he says quietly, far too quietly for Skye's liking.

"Are you mad at me?" Skye then asks, lifting her head so she can look at him, and resting her chin on his chest.

He slowly runs his fingers through her hair and gives her a puzzled look. "Of course not."

"Then what's with the long face," she frowns, poking him on the ribcage.

He catches her hand, bringing it up to his lips and kissing each one of her fingertips. Skye watches him, waiting, but he doesn't answer her question.

"Did you really think AC was gonna kick us out?"

"I would've left before it came to that," he answers after a while.

"Why?"

"Because if anyone should leave, that's me," he says as he traces her jaw line with his finger. "The team is your family, Skye."

"So are you."

Skye shifts until she is half laying on top of him, a soft sigh escaping her when he wraps his arms tightly around her to make sure she doesn't fall off the small bed.

Always the protective one.

She cradles his face in her hands and slowly begins to kiss his cheeks, his chin, his forehead and the wrinkles on it, the tip of his nose and his eyelids.

When he opens his eyes, there's a hint of amusement in them along with another emotion that makes Skye's breath catch in her throat. She bites down on her bottom lip when she feels his hands slide up her body, until he's able to thread his fingers in her hair and pull her in for a slow, sweet kiss.

This time, he's the first one to pull away and she's the one protesting.

He then shakes his head and laughs, a deep, genuine sound that reverberates through his chest and that Skye feels in every inch of her body. She stares at him, eyes wide in amazement, and before she can stop herself, she grabs his face and in between kisses, she blurts out "God, I love you so much."


End file.
